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When the ECL scheme was first introduced, offenders released for the maximum of 18 days received their subsistence payments in instalments through the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), who make payments on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. Prisoners released for less than 18 days were paid in full by prisons on release. From 23 June 2008, payment in instalments by DWP was extended to prisoners spending 15 days or more on ECL. From 15 December, payment in instalments by DWP has been further extended to offenders spending 8 days or more on ECL. The advantage of the system of payments through DWP is that prisoners receive their subsistence in instalments rather than in a single lump sum.

The administrative costs incurred in individual prisons in arranging payments cannot be separately identified as the work is carried out as part of the wider discharge process.

Prisons: Drugs

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons in England and Wales have the integrated drug treatment system (IDTS) in operation; and in those prisons, how many and what proportion of prisoners with an identified need for IDTS do not have access to it. [260438]

Mr. Hanson: From 2006-08 onwards 29 prisons receive both NOMS and DH funding for full IDTS. A further 24 receive DH funding for enhanced prison clinical
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drug treatment only. In 2008-09, a further 38 prison/PCT partnerships received funding for enhanced prison clinical drug treatment.

All 53 first and second waves of Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) prisons have an operational service providing all key elements of IDTS clinical services.

The 91 prisons currently funded are listed.

IDTS 2006-07 first wave—full IDTS (NOMS and DH) (18)

Prison

IDTS 2006-07 first wave—clinical element of IDTS (DH) (27)

Prison


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IDTS 2007-08 second wave—clinical element of IDTS (DH) (7)

IDTS 2007-08 second wave—psychosocial elements of IDTS (NOMS) (11)

IDTS 2008-09 third wave—clinical element of IDTS (DH) (38)


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Prisons: Religious Practice

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were banned from attending religious services in each prison in England and Wales on the most recent date for which information is available; what the reason for the ban was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [260435]

Mr. Malik: Information on this is not collected or collated centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Prisoners are free to attend corporate worship for the faith in which they are registered subject to certain specified circumstances set out in Prison Service Order 4550, a copy of which is in the House Library.

Prisons: Security

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons in England and Wales have Boss body-scanning chairs in operation. [260434]

Mr. Hanson: The following prisons currently use one or more Body Orifice security scanner:

The Government response to David Blakey’s report, “Disrupting the Supply of Illicit Drugs into Prisons”, published in July 2008, committed to providing all prisons with BOSS chairs. The chairs have now been procured and will be distributed during March.

Public Interest Immunity Certificates

Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many public interest immunity certificates Ministers in his Department have signed since the Department was established; and what matters such certificates relate to. [260039]


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Mr. Wills: No Ministry of Justice Minister has signed a public interest immunity certificate since the department was created in May 2007.

Women's Prisons

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what account was taken of the recommendations of the Corston Report in the redesignation of HMP/YOI Drake Hall and HMP Morton Hall. [260408]

Mr. Hanson: The re-designate of HMP/YOI Drake Hall and HMP/YOI Morton Hall as closed prisons
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takes account of Baroness Corston's recommendation of the establishment of multi-functional units close to population centres. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer of 23 January 2009, Official Report; column 360W.

The effect of the change allows for greater flexibility in the use of the estate; improving closeness to home and families for some women, allowing appropriate lifer and indeterminate sentenced women to be placed so as to better meet their needs, and in general enable more women to access the resettlement regimes available at the two prisons.

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